The Gospel or Backdoor Socialism?

                                                      Jagmeet Singh and Justin Trudeau

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

                                            Matthew 20:16

 At the risk of revealing a mean streak, I delighted in the popping sound of federal Conservative heads exploding at the news of an agreement between the minority Liberals and the New Democratic Party. This deal will ensure a degree of stability for the ruling Libs, avoiding the fall of the government through a non-confidence vote. The concession to the NDP in this agreement is the implementation of pharmacare and dental care, two glaring omissions in our supposedly universal health care system. Contrary to the spluttering of outraged Conservatives, this is not a coalition government because the NDP will still be an opposition party without representation in cabinet and this is legal under the Canadian constitution. 

Do I think it's a good idea? Time will tell on whether this will work, and the NDP didn't sign in blood, from what I can gather, so could withdraw at any time. 

I am pleased that there will be a plan to implement dental coverage and a broader drug plan for all Canadians. As a United Church benefit plan member for years and now a pensioner I've been grateful for coverage in these areas for decades, even though our plan is modest compared to others. For those with marginal incomes the costs are prohibitive. Chatting with guests at church meal ministries through the years I've literally seen the outcome of not having dental coverage. When our Syrian refugee families arrived a big challenge during the first couple of years was funding thousands of dollars in dental care even though other medical support was provided. People get sick from lousy teeth and gums and often require other expensive medical care as a result. 

Tommy Douglas was the Baptist minister who became a politician and worked toward medicare in the 1940's and 50's. It was resisted by other politicians and the medical community before coming into being in Saskatchewan first, in the early 1960's, and eventually the rest of the country when Prime Minister John Diefenbaker's federal government offered to fund 50% of the cost. Douglas envisioned a more expansive program over time, and this may be the fruition of what he began. 

Douglas, the biblical Christian, was proud to be considered a socialist which we should keep in mind as the Conservatives claim that the agreement is actually a deal with the devil and "little more than backdoor socialism", to quote interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen. She can dream about this on the $3,800 mattress she billed to Canadian taxpayers for her brief role. 

We are pilgrims on a journey,  fellow travellers on the road;

we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.

                                                          The Servant Song VU 595